Years ago I read an interview with Steve Martin who told about an incident that happened when he was on tour. A fan broke into his hotel room by climbing onto the balcony from the floor above and was waiting there when Steve returned. Security was about to toss him out but Steve asked them to wait. He then asked the man why he would risk his life like that. What was so important that he had to say? All the fan had to say was, “Uh, I saw you on TV.”

A friend of mine in Atlanta was the college roommate of someone who went on to become the leader of a very famous rock band. That roommate would come to town a couple of times each year and they would get together for dinner so my friend asked me to join them one evening. I was naturally excited but it turned out that after saying, “I like your music” to the celeb I really had nothing else to contribute to the conversation. His life in New York was so different from mine that we were both bored with each other.

I mention these things because I still find myself fascinated by certain people’s lives, especially singers, and I fantasize about meeting them but then I laugh because I’m sure I wouldn’t have anything worthwhile to say to them.

Last year, as I stood in line to get autographs from the Libera boys after the concert, I kept racking my brain for something witty and memorable to say. Something that would make them smile and think of me as a friend but all I could do was smile stupidly and say, “Thanks, Sam, Thanks Callum, Thanks Josh…”
A little later Josh must have felt me staring at him because he looked up at me. I instantly grinned and held my hand to my face, pinkie and thumb extended to mime a phone, and I mouthed, “Josh, call me”.

At least that earned me a chuckle.

That all being said, there are still two people I would dearly love to have dinner with; Tom Cully and James Rainbird. I have a lot to say to both of them so, if you should happen to read this, Tom, James… call me.

Today’s recommendation is The Boys Air Choir album Songs of Prayer

The folding insert that came in the CD that I bought has lots of information about this album but, sadly, it’s written in Japanese so I have no clue what it says. Of course, it doesn’t matter once you hear the music.

Here is the prettiest version of There Is No Rose that I have ever heard and O Come, O Come Emmanuel is hauntingly beautiful. I love Angels From The Realms of Glory.

This is another one of those perfect albums where every song is a gem.

The boys this time are Tristan Hambleton, Dominic Collingwood, Gwilym Bowen, Benedict Copping, Tom Robinson-Woledge, Dominic Kraemer, Andrew Johnson, William Bulteel, Henry Neill, Thomas Crow and Oliver Pash.